


seeing stars (the night out)

by egirlpatches (BentOvrBckwrds1)



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awkward Flirting, Boys Kissing, Dancing, Drunken Confessions, Drunken Shenanigans, Fluff, Gentle Kissing, House Party, Late Night Conversations, Late at Night, M/M, Mutual Pining, New York City, No Plot/Plotless, One Shot, Strangers to Lovers, The opposite of slowburn, dream is too but george doesn't know that, george is still a youtuber, i was gonna tag karlnap as background but its literally not at all, its literally just the feral boys going wild for a whole night straight, like theyre here A Lot and we love to see it, they talk about minecraft a lot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-16 09:29:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29698497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BentOvrBckwrds1/pseuds/egirlpatches
Summary: George doesn’t even want to be at Schlatt’s lame party. His roommate dragged him there and then ditched him and now he’s watching some kids steal drinks from the sticky counter in the kitchen.Dream doesn’t want to be there either. Yeah he knows most of the people in attendance, but he doesn’t reallyknowany of them, nor does he want to. That is until he meets the cute boy in the kitchen who takes his breath away.Or: the “feral boys’ night on the town” wouldn’t be complete without a bit of chaos. And romance.
Relationships: Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Sapnap & Karl Jacobs & Alexis | Quackity, Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Karl Jacobs/Sapnap
Comments: 44
Kudos: 287
Collections: Completed stories I've read





	seeing stars (the night out)

**Author's Note:**

> so this was supposed to be a Short One-Shot… ya know… like 10k words or less… yeah here we are.
> 
> anyway, i wrote this in a couple days to take a break from the big fic i'm working on at the moment (which is coming soon btw!) and had a really fun time with it! it is a big departure from my last fic though (as in we went from a linear story with heavy angst to a no-plot-just-vibes fluff piece lmaooooo) so i hope you guys still like it :]
> 
> okay one last thing! i’d Highly Recommend listening to [this playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6rA2ZHOv7G9ElX6hj53XlC?si=e11iKrd7TxCzPeoKWDk_yA) while you read the fic! i picked songs that kinda go through the progress of the night from beginning to end and i think they fit really well with the overall vibe of this thing!   
> (if the link isn't working, it's called "seeing stars (the night out)" by -lili- on spotify!)
> 
> that's it! enjoy “seeing stars (the night out)” i’ll see you at the bottom!

Out of all the places in his tiny city apartment, George had to say that the living room was probably his least favorite. Don’t get him wrong, he hated the _entire_ apartment outside of his bedroom, it’s just that he hated the living room the most. If he had to pick one spot that he disliked the though, it would probably be the big chair along the furthest wall of the room.

For one, it bordered the biggest window in the whole apartment and so automatically had the best view of the skyscrapers outside. And two, it was one of the only things in the shared apartment that he could truly call his own. No roommates getting crumbs between the cushions or friends sleeping on it or even cats climbing on it. Just George. Oh, and it was pretty comfy. That was always good.

At that moment though, George shifted in it uncomfortably.

He didn’t want to be there. He wanted to be working in his bedroom - editing his next video or making a thumbnail or recording the intro. He wanted to be sleeping in his bed. There were a lot of things George would rather be doing, but those were at the top of the list. 

The brunet’s sweater was too tight. His hair was still wet from the shower he’d taken an hour prior. His dark jeans clung to his legs in the worst places and his shoes pushed uncomfortably on his toes. Every little bit of him felt out of place and wrong. It wasn’t as if that was out of the ordinary though.

“Are you done yet?” he shouted down the hall to his one and only roommate: Alex or “Quackity”. It was a dumb nickname, but everyone had been calling him by it for as long as George knew him, so it’s what he called him too.

“Holy _shit_ , George, just gimme a second!” His friend’s voice echoed from the closed bathroom and George rolled his eyes, resorting to shifting in his chair again and pulling at his sweater. He stared out the window at the buildings in the distance and wished he was in his bed.

The bathroom door popped open moments later and Alex stepped out. He moved his beanie into place over his dark hair and shot George a shit-eating grin. “You _finally_ admitting you’re excited to go yet?”

“Shut up, Q. We both know _you’re_ the one forcing _me_ to go to this thing. This dumb fucking house party where I don’t even know the host!” George huffed, standing from the chair and finally releasing some of the tension that was building in his legs. He had been sitting for far too long, overthinking every little bit of information Quackity had given him on the party he was being dragged to.

Where George knew no one in the entire fucking country, it seemed as if Quackity knew everyone. And he probably did. His roommate had strangers over to their shared apartment at least once a week and George locked himself in his bedroom every time. The man would share laughs and drinks with his pals while his British counterpart would put on his headset and play Minecraft with his music blasting.

It wasn’t that he didn’t have _any_ friends… well, okay maybe he didn’t. But that was just because of his geographical location. He had friends in Britain. Or at least he used to.

There were only two other people in his life that came anywhere close to being considered friends and one of them chose that exact moment to call him.

George pulled his buzzing phone from his pocket and read the name on-screen: Karl Jacobs. He hadn’t talked to the guy in months. He pressed the “accept” button and held the device to his ear. “Karl?” 

“George!” His friendly voice startled George a bit. “Are you guys almost ready to leave?”

“I don’t know, gimme a second.” George covered the microphone and looked over to Quackity, who was messing with his dark hair and pulling the front ends from beneath his beanie. “Are we going?”

“Yessir,” Quackity opened the door to the apartment and stepped into the hallway, muttering something like “fucking finally” to himself as if George couldn’t hear him.

“Yes Karl, we’re actually leaving right now.” 

“Yay! Alright, Sapnap and I will be heading out too then. We’ll see you soon!” Karl hung up before George could say anything else and he was left with no choice but to follow Quackity into the hall, shoving his phone into his pocket and taking slow steps to the doorway.

“I still don’t know why you want me at this thing. Like, I’m not going to be dancing with you or partying or whatever you want me to do. You’ll still be third-wheeling Karl and Sap either way.” George crossed his arms and eyed Quackity, who had a bright grin on his face that faded with the words.

“Oh _come on_ , George. You know you needed to get out of that bedroom. Seriously, man, I was starting to get worried for you. And besides, we’re gonna have a great time!”

“Sure. As long as I get my end of the deal.”

“And you will.” Quackity had promised George half-a-dozen things before he finally agreed to go to the dumb house party, but the one that had convinced him was a rule that Quackity couldn’t play video games after one in the morning. For a whole week. George would be taking advantage of that to catch up on sleep, making sure that every second was worth it. “Now are you coming or do I have to drag you out here?”

George was still in the doorway of the apartment, looking back inside as he flicked off the lights. The only source of light in the relatively-empty space was now the distant glow of the city outside. If he squinted, he could see the skyscrapers through the window, soaring into the abyss of the sky and brightening the world with their sickening pinpricks of pollution-inducing haze from thousands of rooms on hundreds of floors. Oddly enough, George enjoyed the view.

He forced his eyes away and looked back to Quackity, who was standing in the middle of the barren and dimly-lit hall of the old building with his hands on his hips and his button-down shirt half-untucked. It was the last opportunity he’d have to turn back. To say no and go back inside and climb in bed and enjoy the time that he had the apartment to himself. To continue his streak of nearly a year spent going nowhere but the apartment and doing nothing but work. But he didn’t. 

Something in George told him that he couldn’t do it, and so he stepped into the hall and closed the door to the apartment and said “Okay, fine.”

-

The party was in an unfamiliar part of town, which was not a very specific statement when it came to George. He didn’t know most of the town. While yes, it _was_ very large, George stood out from most of the locals that resided there in the fact that he barely knew his way around _with_ the GPS on his phone. He had been living there for twelve whole fucking months and still couldn’t make it a couple blocks out without having any idea how to get back to his relatively-new home. He didn’t exactly want to learn either. In fact, he was completely okay with visiting Karl and Sapnap every few months with the help of Google Maps.

The problem was that tonight was a completely different case. He wouldn’t be a few streets down like Karl and Sapnap’s building. Tonight the pair would be traveling to a completely new section of town, which meant he couldn’t really leave the party without Quackity. Even with Google Maps or every GPS in the fucking world, George couldn’t leave his roommate to get home on his own and so, even if he hated it or some drunk guy decided to pick on him or he just got bored, he was stranded until Q wanted to leave.

He couldn’t wait.

The night was abnormally warm for February. On a typical year, George was used to freezing temperatures at this time. It wasn’t as if he ever really left the house anyway, but back in England, he’d need a jacket, hat, scarf, and gloves just to run to the grocery store. Now though, the temperature in the city was up to approximately 50 degrees (Fahrenheit… right… because he’s a real _American_ now…), which Quackity had told him was strange for the city. Something that only happened once every like 300 years or something.

George didn’t mind it though. He just stepped through the busy streets and let Quackity take the lead, eventually boarding the subway and stepping off in a new part of the city. His roommate talked his ear off the whole way, but George didn’t say a word. He just huffed and reminded himself that he would be getting a week’s worth of good sleep out of this. He was _going_ to make it worth it. 

Quackity talked about anything and everything, but mostly the party they would be attending shortly. It was being held by some guy named Schlatt (which George guessed was also a nickname? Last name? He didn’t care enough to ask) who had apparently been an old friend of Quackity’s from years ago. The guy had a huge apartment in the newer part of the city and there were supposed to be roughly 30 people in attendance of this “absolute banger” (Quackity’s words, _not_ George’s). The only people George knew were the two they were planning to meet up with.

Speaking of, the pair arrived outside the building Schlatt’s apartment was in and stopped before entering. They were supposed to be meeting with the other parts of their group (or as Karl had coined it, the “Pop Off Crew”. George thought the name could use some improvement), so the roommates stood under a streetlight and watched the faces of passing people while they waited.

It was a weekend night and so the streets of the city were their typical bustling activity. Drunken college kids roamed the sidewalks, businessmen returned home from long hours, and housewives met up with friends for a night on the town. And that wasn’t even mentioning the tourists that flooded the streets at night and flocked to every bar or open source of entertainment the city had to offer. George had never liked tourists. 

Quackity watched for Karl and Sapnap while George leaned against a streetlight and stared up at the building. If he squinted hard enough, he could see the top of it disappearing into the empty sky above. The grey bricks of the structure faded into black and blended with the night, indiscernible from the starless ink of space. 

When George had moved, he decided that the worst part about the city wasn’t the annoying tourists or the obnoxious people that lived on the floor above his or even the crushing loneliness that smothered him every second of every day. It was the lack of stars in the night sky. Sure the city lights were cool, but when he figured out that their pollution blocked out every star in space overhead, his perfect image of them was tainted. He hadn’t left the city since he’d moved and so he hadn’t seen the stars for nearly a year. He missed them more than anything else.

“Big Q!” His head whipped around to spot Karl Jacobs, resident Pop Off Crew member and one-third of the people he knew in the city, dragging poor Sapnap behind him by the wrist. He met Quackity halfway and pulled him into a tight hug in the middle of the street, burying his face in the shorter boy’s neck.

“Hey, George.” Sapnap abandoned the pair and wandered over to George, giving him a little wave and a friendly smile. “How’s it going with you?”

“Even worse than normal, to be honest. I mean, Q literally bribed me to go to this dumb fucking party with you guys and I still don’t think it’s going to be worth leaving my room.” 

“Come on, Georgie,” George rolled his eyes at the dumb name, “Lighten up a little!” Sapnap elbowed him lightly and before he could get another word in, Karl finally spotted him and raced over to say hi. The taller man lifted him off the ground slightly and George tensed up immediately. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been hugged.

“Put me down!” George shrieked until Karl finally let his feet touch the pavement again. The younger boy giggled and released George completely, backing up to look him up and down.

“Look at you, Gogy, dressing all nice for this thing. Did Quackmeister have to bribe you to do that too?”

“No,” George scoffed, “you really think the guy who dresses like a divorced dad gave _me_ advice on fashion?”

Sapnap snickered beside him and watched Quackity’s expression change behind Karl. “He got you there, Q!”

The four stepped inside and through the huge lobby of the apartment complex, passing by the woman at the front desk to whom Quackity said a quick “hello”. She obviously recognized him and gave him a small wave before the four stepped into the elevator. 

“So, are you guys going to tell me what this party’s for, or am I just meant to tag along with you the whole time?” George asked as the elevator rose until the building.

“Well, it’s just a house party, ya know? But I didn’t wanna be a third wheel to these two the whole time so I thought I’d bring a friend.” Quackity pointed a thumb at his friends, one of which had an arm wrapped around the waist of the other. Karl giggled a little at the comment, cheeks flushing dark with a color that George, being colorblind, couldn’t really see. Sapnap just groaned.

“You could’ve said no if you were that worried about being alone, Quack,” Sapnap said.

“It’s Schaltt, man! I wouldn’t miss one of his parties for the world! I just didn’t wanna be lonely when you two inevitably ‘disappear’ halfway through the night and I’m left to walk back to the apartment by myself.” He dramatically placed air quotes around ‘disappear’ but shot a playful grin at the pair so they knew he was joking. 

The elevator finally stopped on the twelfth floor, doors popping open and spitting the four into the long hallway. They could hear the music from where they stood and George immediately knew it was coming from the party. He mentally cringed, knowing how loud it would be when they entered the apartment. George had never been a fan of parties, much less loud and obnoxious ones.

When they arrived at the source of the noise, Quackity opened the door without knocking and pulled his three friends in behind him.

The apartment was dark. It was even louder than George had thought it would be, but the first thing he truly noticed was how dingy the place was. The only things illuminating the place were a few strings of Christmas lights and a pair of lamps with yellow bulbs.

That wasn’t to say that the apartment wasn’t lively though, because there was so much movement that George didn’t know where to look. He was frozen in the doorway, watching dozens of people mill about and dance and drink. 

“George…” Karl nudged him from behind, pushing him over the threshold and into the apartment’s living room with a little shove. The taller man leaned over to him and noticed that he was obviously uncomfortable. “Wanna go get a drink with me and Sap?”

George thought about it for a moment. He hadn’t really had drinks in a while. Sometimes he and Quackity would split something in the apartment, but he hadn’t let loose since he had moved. Maybe it would do him some good. 

Eventually, he nodded and let Karl pull him through the living room and into the kitchen, which was a bit brighter but not by much. The counter was filled with liquor bottles, half-empty plastic cups, and various cans, some of which were spilled onto the ground or countertop. “Ew. Are Schlatt’s parties always like this?”

“Yeah, pretty much.” Sapnap reached around him for an empty cup and filled it with something from one of the bottles, which George couldn’t read the labels of in the dark. He decided to take whatever Sapnap was having though, filling a cup of his own and taking a sip. It tasted like straight-up rubbing alcohol. Perfect.

“Shots, boys?” Karl asked them and, of course, both accepted. It was then when Quackity caught up with them and joined in on the fun, pouring himself a cup and shouting something that couldn’t be heard over the music. As the strong liquid slipped down his throat, George realized it was going to be a very long night.

-

Once the four had declared themselves buzzed enough to go have fun, Sapnap and Karl disappeared back into the living room which left George standing beside Quackity. The shorter man was talking to a friend of his who George didn’t really know and so he was left on his own. He watched the people entering and exiting the room in a poor attempt to get his mind off his current situation. 

A tall man entered with two others, a shorter girl and a guy with long hair braided down his back that George guessed was probably some kind of red or pink, and took an entire bottle of alcohol before leaving again. A pair of men came in, one dangling off the other’s arm and talking loudly. He promised to make the other a “nice non-alcoholic drink since I know you don’t like drugs!” and then proceeded to spill Sprite all over the counter. George just stepped aside and watched as one attempted to run and the other called after him, “Skeppy, no! We can’t just leave this mess!” They didn’t return though.

Quackity was still talking to the man - George thought his name was Connor? Carter? Caleb? He couldn’t really hear over the music in the living room - when three children (???) walked into the otherwise-empty kitchen. The leader of the pack strolled over to George and Q with his eyes scanning the room.

“Hey you! Have you seen Wilbur?”

George had no idea who Wilbur was. “No…” 

“He’s a big tall guy with a beanie and a yellow sweater!” The second boy was significantly shorter than the other two, even smaller than George himself.

“No, I don’t think I’ve seen him.” George very well could have and just didn’t know it. 

“Perfect.” The blond one grinned and reached past a very confused George to the drink counter, grabbing the first thing he could reach and turning back to his friends. “We got what we came here for, boys. Let’s go!”

“I don’t know, Tommy. Won’t Wilbur be mad at us?”

“Who cares, Ranboo? Worryin’s for pussies!” The leader - Tommy? - lead Ranboo and the short one out of the kitchen while hoisting the bottle over his head like a trophy. George watched them go with a confused smile before finally turning back to Quackity to find that his roommate was talking to someone new. Now he was leaned against the counter with a taller guy standing across from him, talking loudly about something George didn’t catch.

“Yo, George’s back!” Quackity beckoned him closer and George slid beside his shorter friend, meeting the eyes of the tall man in the dark room. “Georgie, this is Schlatt! He’s the-”

“The guy whose apartment this is, right?” Schlatt nodded and held out a big hand for George to shake. He took it lightly and felt his entire arm bounce when the Schlatt guy shook it.

“Yep, that's me. So I’m assuming you’re a friend of Q’s. The roommate, right?”

“Great, so you’ve both heard of each other! Look at that, you’re getting along already!” Quackity beamed beside him and George shot him a sideways glance. He wouldn’t exactly consider this _getting along_. It was an awkward greeting at best. He was still buzzed, but he decided that it wouldn’t be enough to get through the rest of the night.

“So, George…” His name was awkward on Schlatt’s tongue. “You enjoyin’ the party?”

“Uh, yeah?” It sounded like a question. “It’s alright, I suppose.”

Quackity elbowed him and he sputtered for a second. “Forgive George, he’s kinda an introvert. A _gamer_ , ya know?” He and Schlatt shared a laugh and George wanted another drink.

“I’m gonna go grab something,” he mumbled to Quackity before dipping out of the conversation and stepping back toward the drink counter. He recovered his cup from where he had abandoned it and turned to the bottles.

“Oh!” He nearly slammed right into someone standing in front of the counter. “Shoot, sorry!”

“Nah, you’re good.” The man turned and faced him, running a hand through dirty blond hair, and George’s breath caught in his throat. Holy shit, this guy was attractive. Seriously. His hair was fluffed up where he’d touched it, just slightly curling at the ends, and his eyes were bright. His pupils were wide and only got bigger as he looked at George, which made the brit shy away immediately. He felt his face getting warm and he took a step back.

“I’m Dream.”

“There’s no way that’s your real name.” Fuck. He didn’t mean to say that out loud.

The guy laughed though, leaning against the counter and tilting his head back just a bit to let out a wheeze. “Heh, it’s not.”

“So what’s your name then?”

“What’s yours?” The _Dream_ dude stepped out of the way, giving George full access to the drink counter, but George didn’t move. 

“George. Now will you tell me yours?” His eyes were still stuck on the tall man. He had a sharp jawline and little dimples that had appeared when he’d laughed. George wanted him to laugh again. 

“Clay. But no one calls me that. Seriously, I think everyone here knows me as Dream and only about three or four people even _know_ my name is Clay.”

Clay. Clay Clay Clay. George bounced the name around in his head, resisting the urge to say it out loud. He decided that Dream did in fact fit him better. He was like a _dream_ , as cheesy and horrible as that sounded. Tall, attractive, _and_ wanted to talk to George? That was quite rare.

George realized he’d been standing there for way too long, snapping back to reality and finally reaching over for a drink before figuring out that he still didn’t know what he wanted. The counter was still sticky from when those guys had spilled Sprite on it so he took a step back before turning to Dream again, finding the man’s eyes on him in a way that made his heart skip a beat. “What do you recommend?” 

“I dunno,” he took a slow sip from his cup and made a face. “Not this, that’s for sure.” George smiled a bit at that. Dream was cute.

“Okay… then what _should_ I get?” 

“Here, try this.” Dream reached across the counter and in front of George, who got the scent of his cologne for the briefest of moments. It smelled a bit like pine and he liked it. A lot. It was perfect for George’s dream boy.

Dream mixed a drink for George, filling the cup that was still in his hand before taking a step back with a proud grin. “Try it.” 

“Um… alright.” George hesitated but, upon Dream’s insistence, took a long sip. He was bracing for the worst, like that vile shit he’d chugged down earlier, but nothing like the previous drinks came. Instead, the mix Dream had made for him was good. It wasn’t too sweet and the aftertaste still stung of liquor, but it definitely wasn’t bad. 

“So… what do you think?” He set down his cup to find Dream staring at him with hopeful eyes. The taller man took a sip of his own drink and struggled to hold back a cringe.

“It’s alright.”

“Just _alright_?” 

“It’s pretty good.”

“That’s better.” Dream watched with a satisfied smirk as George took another sip. “So, what are you doing here all alone?”

“I’m not _alone_. I’m with him.” He turned to point to Quackity but found that his friend was nowhere to be seen. In fact, Dream and George were the only people in the kitchen at all. His head whipped back around to Dream and his cheeks burned with embarrassment. “I-”

“So you’re alone, then.”

“No no no! My friends are here, they’re just being assholes and ditching me at a party that I didn’t even want to go to.” As soon as he said it, George realized his mistake. “I- I mean-”

“I get it.” Dream leaned against the counter again and met George’s gaze. His eyes were bright and speckled although George couldn’t tell what color they were in the dark. “Schlatt invited me and I thought it’d be rude to turn him down ‘cause like- I know everyone here, but I don’t really _know_ any of them… Like the person I’ve probably spent the most time with is probably Tommy fucking Innit and that’s from babysitting him for Phil.” He sighed and ran another hand through his hair absentmindedly.

“Phil? Tommy?” Tommy was the blond kid from earlier, right? The one who stole the bottle of alcohol with his friends?

“Oh, he’s a family friend. Tommy’s his kid and he’s the same age as my brother so he always seems to be at my place.” Dream paused and grimaced. “You- you probably didn’t need to know all of that.”

George found himself genuinely smiling for the first time all night. “I don’t mind.” He took another sip of the drink and could feel it starting to work a bit. “I like talking to you.”

“I like talking to you too.” Dream finished off his drink and set the empty cup on the counter. “What do you say we go dance or something? Enjoy ourselves for a bit?”

Now normally, George would say “no” in a heartbeat. He’d say he doesn't dance or he’s tired or he’s just plain not interested and normally, that would be true. But now, he was in fact feeling quite the opposite. There was something about Dream that made him want to say “yes”. He liked him a lot and maybe it was the alcohol talking, but he would be willing to do just about anything for him in that moment. “Sure. Why not?”

“Really?” George could practically see the golden retriever ears perking up on the guy and couldn’t help but wonder what had made him think George would say no. His mind was shouting at him that there was something _too_ perfect about Dream. Something was wrong and he was going to use him for a quick fuck or just plain entertainment, but George pushed it away with another drink.

Dream held out his hand and George took it, taking one last sip from his cup before abandoning the sticky, dingy kitchen and following Dream into the dark living room.

It was a big change from the relatively-quiet kitchen he’d gotten used to. People were milling about, dancing, or drinking but George didn’t pay them any mind. In fact, he kept his eyes trained on Dream and followed him all the way to the center of the room.

A couple people were dancing there - he recognized the girl from the kitchen dancing with another woman and the pair that had spilled the Sprite - and Dream immediately started bouncing his head to the beat. His fluffy hair shook with him and made George smile. “C’mon George! Get into it!” Dream shouted over the music and took George’s free hand, spinning him slightly. 

“Dream!” he shrieked when he was dipped dramatically by the man, who was laughing above him. George squinted his eyes shut and didn’t open them until he was lifted and standing back at his full height, pressed against Dream’s warm chest. When he finally looked up at the man, his breath caught in his chest and he was immediately drawn in by Dream’s eyes. The strings of Christmas lights around the room reflected in the dark spheres, glittering like stars. That was it. They were just like stars. “Woah.”

He didn’t mean to say that either, but it made Dream laugh again and so it was worth it. It was a different laugh than before, no longer a heavy wheezing but instead a light giggle as the tall man pulled him either closer. “George, you’re adorable.”

He should’ve thought the alcohol was the reason for it. He should’ve thought the drinks were making Dream act like this. Or the party. Or even just the energy in the room. In any other situation, he would have. He never would have thought that Dream was interested or even enjoyed his presence. But the thought didn’t even cross his mind. The only thing he could think was that this stunning, hot, pretty, cute guy thought _he_ was the adorable one. George. Adorable. He just about died on the spot.

The music continued to thud through the apartment and Dream and George danced to it. If they were sober, they would have been awkward and distant and acted like the strangers they were, but they were just drunk enough that it was alright. That, combined with the vibes of the other people in the room, mixed perfectly and created an energy that flooded George’s bones and filled him with a sense of carefree spirit that made everything feel okay. 

It didn’t matter that he was in a strange city far from home. It didn’t matter that he wasn’t working or sleeping or doing anything he normally enjoyed. It didn’t matter that he didn’t know anyone there. It didn’t even matter that he didn’t know Dream twenty minutes ago. He knew Dream _now_ and that was what was important.

“Watch it, big man!” Someone shouted behind him and George was shoved against Dream as someone sprinted past, a blur in the dark room. “Sorry Big D!” The guy called before he disappeared down the hall.

Another man ran past and George spun around quick enough to make out his features, spotting the guy from the kitchen - the one with the girl and the pink-haired guy - chasing after whoever had just run past. He shouted something to Dream too, but it was lost under the music and Dream just laughed. 

“What was that about?!?” George asked as he stepped away from Dream, missing his warmth but willing the heat on his cheeks to go away. He wasn’t sure if Dream could see it in the dark or not but didn’t want to find out the answer.

“That was Tommy. And Wilbur.”

-

The two continued their little dance until George’s head was spinning and his ears were ringing. He felt a bit ill and Dream seemed to be able to tell. He held George close and let him lean against his body as George closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of pine again. He was positively drunk now, unable to think straight. “You smell nice.”

“What?” Dream couldn’t hear him over the music and George huffed out a sigh, taking Dream’s hand and leading him back into the kitchen with a confidence that he’d never had before. The lighting in there made him squint and he rubbed his nimble fingers along his neck as Dream closed the door behind them. “You alright, George?”

“Mmmm… yeah. I guess. I mean, I’m not doing bad but I’m not doing great either. I think I’ll just get another drink.”

“Of water.” Dream stopped him before he could reach the sticky counter, taking his smaller hand and pulling him backward. “You’ve had more than enough of the other stuff.”

“ _Fine_ , _dad_.” George nudged him playfully as Dream filled a cup with water from the sink and handed it to him. It tasted like plastic, but he drank anyway. Partially because he was thirsty and partially because Dream was watching him again with a heavy gaze and half-lidded eyes.

George took another sip of the water and eyed Dream over the rim of the cup. “Happy now?”

Dream smiled, soft, quick, and fleeting, and took a step closer to George. He didn’t back up. Instead, he took the hand that wasn’t holding the cup and lifted it to Dream’s face, brushing his thumb over the man’s cheek.

That was when Quackity entered the room. He stumbled in with a big grin on his face, laughing about something but stopping the second he noticed the two. “George! Who’s this?”

Oh god. George dropped his hand immediately and nearly dropped the cup of water too. 

George did _not_ feel like introducing Dream to his friend, even if it would be rude not to. He’d been trying his hardest to make a decent impression on the guy, maybe get his number at the end of the night, but it would all be useless if Quackity spoke to him. “Um…”

“I’m Dream.” Too late. Fuck. George’s face went warm and he watched in horror as Dream stuck out a hand to Quackity and his roommate took it, shaking it enthusiastically.

“So, you and Georgie been hittin’ it off?”

“ _Georgie_?” Dream turned to him with a grin and if George could sink any further into the ground, he would.

“That’s my roommate. Alex.”

“Big Q to you, but you can call me Big Q-tie if you’d like.” He winked at Dream, whose eyes widened for a moment before he let out a wheezing laugh.

“What do you want, Q?”

“Well, I was originally gonna ask if you’ve seen Karl or Sapnap, but now I’m a bit more interested in your new friend.” He talked as if Dream wasn’t literally right there. George turned to the man with an apologetic look.

“For both your and my sanity, ignore him.”

“No no no, no need to do that!” Quackity filled his cup at the counter and turned back to Dream, taking a long drink of it and leaning against the countertop before jumping away in surprise. “Who the hell spilled soda on here?” He looked between George and Dream, both of whom just shrugged. “Ugh. Partygoers, man, absolutely no class.”

Dream was laughing again and shifted to stand closer to George. “I like your friend, Georgie, he’s funny.”

“Thank you,” Quackity said as George groaned.

“Don’t say that, you’ll fuel his ego even more.”

“Shut up, George! Who asked!” 

The door to the living room opened again and Karl stumbled in with a giggle. His pupils were blown wide and he had a giddy grin across his face as he took in the sight of the others. “Well hello guys!” His tired eyes scanned over the group in the kitchen and stopped on Dream, who was still standing against George’s side. “Hi, I’m Karl.”

“I’m Dream.” He gave a little wave from where he stood and it was official. George wanted to jump out a window.

“I like your name.” Karl stepped fully into the room and was followed by Sapnap, who took in the same sight. He looked about as far gone as Karl did and his eyes flickered between Dream and George before a look of realization slowly crept onto his face. He shot George an obnoxious wink and closed the door behind himself, turning to the group.

“Look at that, the gang’s all here! And George got a friend!”

“That’s Sapnap,” George mumbled to Dream. “Just ignore all of them.”

“That’s Dream! He and George were doing _something_ in here before I interrupted them,” Quackity commented and the insinuation behind the words was clear to every person in the room.

“ _Quackity_!” George shrieked but Dream just continued to laugh beside him, completely unbothered by his weirdo roommate and his weirdo friends. He turned back to his new… friend? Crush? “Ignore all three of them, please. They’re drunk and being _obnoxious_.”

“Am not,” Sapnap commented as if _that_ would change his mind.

“See?”

Dream could only giggle and watch as George took another sip of his water before remembering what he had been planning to do. “Which one of you is his ride home? None of you are driving I hope-”

“Me,” Quackity said. “But these two are probably coming back to our apartment for a little after-party, right guys?” He turned to Karl and Sapnap, who both nodded eagerly in agreement. “You’re welcome to come too if you want.”

George looked up at Dream with wide eyes. Dream… could be in his apartment… He could bring Dream back to his place and spend a bit more time with the man and have an even better chance at getting his number and-

“That sounds nice, but I think it’s up to George. I don’t want to be-”

“It’s fine. I’d love you to come along.” George set the water cup on the sticky counter and looked at the group of boys in the dimly lit kitchen. “In fact, I wouldn’t mind if we leave soon.”

“How about we do one or two more shots before we head out, just for fun? And Dream can get in on these too!” Sapnap poured out a couple shots in little cups along the counter, looking back to see Dream nodding at him before pouring a fifth. “This will be his honorary induction to the Pop Off Crew. Your entrance test.” 

“Pop Off Crew?” Dream was still standing close enough to George that he could whisper in his ear with just the slightest hint of confusion in his slightly-slurred voice. George was too busy staring daggers into the back of Sapnap’s head to notice. 

“It’s a dumb name Karl came up with for the four of us.”

Karl shouted something about how it wasn’t dumb as Sapnap handed out shots, shutting up his boyfriend with a kiss on the cheek that turned the older boy’s face a furious shade of blush.

“Okay, now on the count of three we drink. Got it?” Sapnap looked at the others as his dark eyes stopped on George for a moment. He could only nod and think to himself about how Dream was probably going to hate him after all of this. Why wouldn’t he? He was just having a pleasant night with a stranger and then suddenly all of the stranger’s friends are inducting him into some weird little gang via shots in a dark kitchen. If George could drag Dream out of the party then and there, he would.

Either way, the five took their shots and both Karl and Quackity coughed through them. Sapnap laughed at Karl, but he rubbed his back comfortingly and George watched the pair. His gaze, as always, seemed to turn back to Dream though and he noticed that the man was now leaning on the wall. “Ready to go?”

“If you are.”

-

The five managed to track down Schlatt and thank him for the invitations before excusing themselves out the door. The party host had given them a bit of a strange look when he noticed Dream and George together, but he said nothing as they left the apartment. 

Stepping out into the night, George was reminded how warm it was. He rolled the sleeves of his sweater up to his elbows as they stepped under streetlights and crossed at a stoplight. He and Dream trailed behind the other three and he took to talking to the man again. “So, where do you live?”

“Not too far from here, actually. I didn’t even take the subway to get here because it’s been so nice out lately.” Dream bounced on his heels a bit when he walked. George thought it was cute.

His brain was buzzing with static when they entered the nearest subway stairs, descending beneath the city and hoping the next train wasn’t too far out. George stopped near the empty tracks and stared down at them until Dream was beside him again. “Where are you guys from?”

“Well, I’m from London but I don’t really know about-”

“George, darling-” Dream was doing that thing again. That wheezing laugh that sounded like a fucking tea kettle. “I meant, like, where’s your apartment?”

“Oh.” George’s face went hot and he resisted the urge to bring his hands to his cheeks to try and cover it. “I- I don’t really know. I mean, we’re all uptown but I’m not sure where that is from here.” 

“So the opposite of where I am?”

“I mean I guess…” George thought about it for a moment but his tipsy brain couldn't seem to grasp any thought that wasn’t about Dream. He stared at the same spot on the tracks. “You don’t have to come with us, you know? Like, you can go home if you’re tired. I’m not forcing you to hang out with me and my drunk friends in some stranger’s apartment…”

Dream turned to him, meeting his eyes directly, and George took a moment to just absorb his features while his train of thought died off. Under the shitty lighting of the subway station, he could see that Dream had freckles. They dotted his tanned cheeks like stars, trailing over his nose and down the back of his neck to beneath his shirt. George’s eyes stopped on the spot where the freckles disappeared and he wished he could see more. “George, seriously. It’s okay. I like hanging out with you.” 

George just nodded and continued to watch Dream until the subway arrived. There was a certain gravity to the man that kept pulling George back in for more. He couldn’t seem to look away.

The five stepped onto the subway car and George immediately collapsed into the nearest seat. He rested the back of his head against the cool glass behind him and closed his eyes. He heard shuffling beside him and peeked over to find Dream in the seat next to his. He rolled his head slightly and landed it on Dream’s shoulder, the other man making a little noise of surprise. 

George looked up at him for a moment, wondering if he should move or if he took it too far, but Dream just took a hand and ran it through George’s hair lightly. He could do nothing but hum in content and close his eyes again. He listened to Quackity, who had chosen to run to the opposite end of the subway car and shout at Karl and Sapnap from where he stood. It was annoying and yet so very _Quackity_.

At the next stop, the group disembarked and stepped back into the warm air of the city. The later it got, the more the lights from the skyscrapers flickered on above them. Upon reaching the top of the subway entrance steps, George stopped and looked up at them for a moment. He realized that he would never get used to seeing the lights. To being in the city each and every day of his life. Maybe that wasn’t all bad though. He smiled at the sky.

“George! Move your ass!” Karl snickered from behind him, pushing him up the steps and onto the sidewalk. “We don’t have all night here.”

“Actually, we kinda do,” Sapnap said. “We can do whatever we want.”

“True…”

“So, you know what we should do?”

“Whatever shall we do, Sapnap my beloved?” Karl dramatically asked. His cheeks were flushed and his pupils were wide and he swayed when he stepped. He was further gone than George (which was already saying something) and even more of a simp (if that was possible). 

“Any of you down for a late-night snack?”

“What’re ya thinking?” Quackity asked.

“Well, there’s this little 24-hour deli thing down the street that I’ve been meaning to try, and nowhere else is open.” Sapnap shrugged and, upon hearing no objections, started off in the direction of the place with Karl and Quackity in tow.

George looked between Dream and the group. “Shall we?”

“Of course, Georgie.” He held out his hand for George to take and he did so in an instant, giving it a tight squeeze before the two followed the group of obnoxiously drunk boys in front of them.

“So, how long have you guys been friends?” Dream asked as the two walked side-by-side. It was late enough now that the streets were mostly empty, save for a few tourists and those who worked late shifts.

“I’ve known Sapnap forever. Actually, he’s the one that introduced me to Karl and Q, which is ironic because now I’m living with _Quackity_ of all people. He’s the only one I ever really talk to lately, to be honest.”

Dream laughed as the man himself said something to the happy couple, stepping between them and drunkenly wrapping an arm around each of their shoulders. “What’s it like being roommates with him?”

“Not as bad as you’d think, but I’d never tell him that.” George tore his eyes from the group and back to Dream. The streetlights illuminated his face with a soft glow but it was dark enough that the dusting of freckles on his cheeks had disappeared. George missed them. “He usually just sits in his room and shouts about video games at ridiculous hours of the night.”

“Huh. Would not have pegged him as a gamer.”

“Oh really?”

“Yeah, he just doesn’t seem like the type.”

“There’s a _type_?” George forced back a smile in a poor attempt to feign severity.

“Why? Don’t tell me you’re a gamer too…”

“And what if I am?”

Dream eyed him as if trying to figure out if he was serious or not. It was clearly a bit, but both of them were playing into it and Geroge was glad. He could appreciate someone with a decent sense of humor. “As long as you’re not, like, a Fortnite kid or something. Or, like, fucking _Roblox_.”

“What did I hear about Roblox?” Of course now, of all times, Quackity _had_ to interrupt them. He seemed to get bored with Karl and Sapnap (who were grateful to get the guy to stop bothering them) and stepped over to walk on the other side of George.

“Don’t tell me you _actually_ play Roblox.”

“Got a problem with that, buddy?”

Dream held up his hands in fake defense, lifting one over his mouth to hide a chuckle. “No no no, I would _never_.” He took a step back when Quackity glared at him, but it was clearly all jokes.

“Boys, let’s just come to an agreement here,” George stepped in, “that Minecraft is the best game out there.”

“Yes!” Dream’s face lit up at the mention of the game and he broke into a grin, adding a little bounce to his step. He turned to Quackity, “Look at that! Georgie has good taste!” 

Q made a face, scrunching his nose. “Ugh. Gay people.”

“ _ALEX_!” George shoved him away, forcing him back towards Sapnap and Karl, who both made noises of annoyance when he lamented to them about his _horrible_ experience with Dream and George. George just rolled his eyes. “See, I told you to ignore my friends.”

“What do you mean?!? They’re fucking _hilarious_!” Dream’s hand slotted against George’s once again and the two picked up the conversation where they’d left it, discussing Minecraft and their favorite things to do in the game.

Dream was fascinated by George’s ability to code and asked him a million questions about it, revealing that he was a bit of an amateur at the skill as well. He talked with a genuine passion for the game, eyes glittering like stars when he told George about the old server he’d made with some friends. “I could add you to it if you’d like. I could add all your friends. If they play, that is,” he quickly added.

“No wait, that’d be fun!” Really, George just wanted to keep him talking. That didn’t mean he didn’t want to play Minecraft with Dream though. That sounded like the perfect first date (although that might have been the drinks talking).

“Really?”

“Yes, of course.”

George was so distracted by Dream that he nearly hit Sapnap head-on. He hadn’t noticed that his friend had stopped and was looking at something in the window of a closed shop until Dream pulled him back by his hand. “B- George!”

This caught Sapnap’s attention and he turned to the taller man with a wicked grin. “Oh my god…” George’s face went red, but he didn’t drop Dream’s hand. Instead, he squeezed it tight. A quick reassurance before whatever the hell was about to come out of Sapnap’s mouth. “You were gonna call him something! Probably some shit like _baby_ , right?!?” His voice cracked with giddy glee as he looked between the two.

“Um…” Dream seemed to be stuck there. George watched his expression change with wide eyes. He knew exactly what he _wanted_ Dream to say but…

“So what if I was?”

George would be lying if he said his heart didn’t skip a couple beats.

“Aw look at that! Gogy’s got a simp!” Sapnap looked to Karl and Quackity with a grin and George finally noticed why they’d stopped. Karl was looking in the window of a clothing store, a little boutique George had never seen before, where a mannequin was wearing an outfit of a big sweater and jeans. 

“Hey, what time does this place open?”

“I dunno, why?”

“I need that sweater.”

This grabbed Sapnap’s attention and he looked at it a bit closer, dark eyes shifting from Karl to the window. “I’ll buy it for you tomorrow, sweetheart.”

“Who’s the one simping now!” Dream laughed behind him and sent the whole group into an uncontrollable bout of intoxicated giggling that lasted all the way to the deli.

-

It was nearing one in the morning by the time they stumbled into the little restaurant, but it was open with the lights on. As George stepped into the entrance, he took a long look at the place. He’d never heard of it, but that wasn’t hard to believe considering how many restaurants were in the city. He hadn’t exactly had the time to walk around and look for new places to try either, so this was nice.

The lights were a warm golden color and washed everything in a welcoming yellow. There were a couple strings of fairy lights around the counter and dangling from the ceiling as well as a staircase that snaked upward against the back wall. A few employees were standing around but, besides them, the place was deserted. 

“Alright guys, what can I do for you?” The teen girl working behind the counter asked the five with a little smile. They ordered snacks and sodas, collectively deciding they did _not_ need any more alcohol, before they all moved to pay.

“Guys, I got it.” Dream stepped forward, holding out his hand to stop George from taking his wallet out of his pocket.

“Dream, it’s like forty bucks you don’t have to-”

Dream turned to face George with a little smile. “It’s fine, darling.”

Holy shit. George’s face turned a bright shade of red and his hand froze in place. He couldn’t have grabbed his wallet if he wanted to. He was just glad Karl, Sapnap, and Quackity hadn’t heard. He would’ve died on the spot if they saw how much something as simple as a dumb pet name affected him. It was the kind of thing he’d head Karl and Sapnap call each other a million times, but something about the way Dream said it just hit so different. 

After Dream insisted on paying the entire bill for all five of them, their food was prepared and set on the counter. Sapnap insisted they sit at a table on the second floor, which in the retrospect of having five intoxicated individuals climbing stairs _and_ carrying food, was _not_ the best idea.

The second floor of the little deli was much like the first, with comfortable leather-seated booths lining the walls and low-hanging lights dropping from the ceiling. George chose the largest booth in the corner, one with one long bench that wrapped around a circular table, and scooted to the middle of the seat before setting down his sandwich and soda. Dream slid in beside him with a sandwich of his own and a bottle of water.

Quackity sat on the other side of Dream, across from Sapnap and Karl. George was a bit squished between Sapnap and Dream but he didn’t mind one bit. Both men were warm and it gave him an excuse to lean into Dream’s touch even more.

Karl was talking excitedly about something, bouncing a little in his seat and only pausing to drink from the can of Monster he’d got. Sapnap had an arm wrapped around his waist and watched him intently, completely absorbed in whatever his boyfriend was saying. Karl seemed to wear himself out rather quickly though because soon he dropped his head onto Sapnap’s shoulder. He was still talking, but it came out as a slurred mumbling of complete nonsense.

“We need to get you home and in bed.” Sapnap ruffled his hair and George watched with a little smile. He remembered how happy he was when they had _finally_ gotten together. How they made the perfect couple. How he could only dream of something like what Karl and Sapnap had.

“No no no,” Karl protested, “this is just a little break. I still wanna do the afterparty!” But then he yawned immediately after and ruined the entire argument.

Dream stretched the arm closest to George and wrapped it around the smaller man with a little grin. George didn’t know what to say and so he just reached over and sipped from his soda bottle, pretending the little motion didn’t send shooting stars firing through his brain.

Sapnap ran a hand through Karl’s hair, shifting a bit to kiss the older boy’s forehead. Quackity made a gagging noise from across the booth, splitting into giggles when Sapnap sent a glare in his direction. “Shut the hell up, Q.”

“Just say you’re jealous and go,” Karl murmured from his position on Sapnap’s shoulder. 

“What the fuck- no- I-”

“He got you with that one, Quack,” George said as he took another sip of his soda, turning the shorter boy’s attention on him.

“Oh, _now_ George wants to talk!” Quackity let out a groan and slumped back in his seat, pulling on the ends of his hair that poked out of his beanie. “I hate all of you.” He opened one eye and looked at Dream. “Except you, Dream. You’re one of the good ones.”

“Thank you, Quackity.” Dream grinned over to George and the table fell into a comfortable quiet. It didn’t last long though. 

“Wait, are you two cuddling?” George’s eyes widened and met Quackity’s. He had a little smirk on his lips and leaned forward, resting his chin in his palm. “Guys, I think George’s got a _boyfriend_ …” And suddenly both Sapnap and Karl were wide awake. What a coincidence.

“No, wait- we’re-” George stuttered, trying to hold back the blush on his cheeks and turning to look at Dream. His heart pounded in his ears and he didn’t really know what to say. 

“What did you say about _just ignoring_ your friends, Georgie?” Dream asked, raising an eyebrow at Quackity and squeezing George’s shoulder. He laughed it off and the conversation topic was switched. George could relax into Dream’s arm once more.

-

The “Pop Off Crew’s Night On The Town” didn’t seem to want to end there and so, as the five left the little 24/7 deli at 1:45 AM, they walked in the opposite direction of George and Quackity’s apartment. No one seemed to care enough to ask, even though George was finally starting to sober up a bit. That didn’t even matter much though because being with Dream was enough to make him feel like he was drunk again.

Now that they were out on the streets (and George was 100% certain that Dream liked him as much as he liked Dream), he took Dream’s hand in his own and led the man through the city. Sure, he didn’t quite know where he was going, but soon they were in some kinda shopping district/tourist stop and it seemed like the perfect place for a date.

“Dream…” he asked as they walked, “this would be a cute place for a date, right?” 

“I mean, I suppose. Is this supposed to be your way of asking me out?” Dream side-eyed him with a little smirk.

“Depends what your answer would be if I was.”

“Well, it would _obviously_ be a yes. I mean, this _is_ a cute place for a first date.”

George turned to the trio to announce that he had successfully achieved a date with the “hottest guy ever” but the words died on his lips the moment he noticed what they were up to. Quackity was in the middle of taking a picture of Karl and Sapnap, who were posing against a tree with the skyscrapers rising behind them as a glittering backdrop. His immediate instinct to photobomb the picture overtook his want to tell them about the date and so George did exactly that.

He stepped behind the pair with a little smile and a wink towards Quackity, flashing the camera a cheesy grin and waving. Dream watched him from a distance, holding back a laugh.

“Here you go, guys.” Quackity handed Karl his phone back and the boy flipped through the pictures, stopping on the one George had gotten in the background of. He shrieked and turned around, finally spotting his friend and groaning. 

“George!”

“What?” He had to hold back laughter and Karl held the phone up, showing George and Sapnap the picture. Dream stepped closer to look at it too, giggling and turning to George.

“We should take one too!”

“What-” George was whisked away by Dream’s strong arms, pressed against the taller man’s chest while he handed his phone to Karl.

“It’ll be cute, _baby_. A good way to remember tonight.” Dream dragged out the pet name while he ruffled George’s hair a bit, posing for Karl and his camera. George just rolled his eyes, but it was a cute idea. And how could he ever say no to Dream…

“Smile!” Karl was taking pictures left and right, angling the camera in different directions and bending to take more shots from different angles.

“Karl! You’re gonna use all my storage space!” 

“That’s the goal!” Karl stepped forward and handed the camera to Dream, who bent to show George the pictures as well. Sure enough, Quackity and Sapnap had gotten in the background of nearly every single one. Whether it was intentional or not differed from shot to shot because, in most of them, Sapnap was half in-frame or looking off in the other direction. He didn’t even seem to notice he was in the picture. Quackity, on the other hand, was behind George and making obscene hand gestures or laughing his ass off. George had been so distracted by Dream that he hadn’t even noticed.

And thus began their little photo war. The boys continued their walk around the town, eventually arriving at a bridge along the main river that ran through the city, and stopped for more pictures along the way. The objective was to photobomb or mess with as many pictures as possible and it seemed like all five were in on the game. They’d take turns being photographers (or, in Karl’s case, a vlogger who couldn’t keep the camera steady for the life of him and laughed too much to film an intro or an explanation of anything that was going on) and took pictures for and of the others.

George held his phone as they finally walked back toward him and Quackity’s apartment, scrolling through the semi-blurry pictures Sapnap had taken of himself and Dream. Both boys looked really happy in them, Dream’s cheeks flushed and his smile wide while George dangled off his arm with a little grin and a wink toward the camera. They were ridiculous, but that was part of why he loved them so much. If George never saw Dream again, he’d at least have the pictures to look back on the night with.

After a long while of walking, complete with some very illegal and even more dangerous drunken jaywalking, the group finally arrived outside Quackity and George’s apartment building. George sighed at the sight of it, lips quirking into a small frown when he turned around and found Dream standing behind him. “This is it.”

“This is your place? It’s nice.” Dream eyed the building, setting a heavy hand on his shoulder. Quackity was already inside, holding open the door for Karl and Sapnap before disappearing into the halls of the apartment building. When they were gone, George faced Dream. He noticed once again how much taller Dream was. He also noticed how close they were.

“Do… do you need me to call you a cab or-”

“Are you kicking me out?” Dream frowned at him, leaning a bit closer until their noses were nearly touching. He smelled so nice. A mix of pine and alcohol. “Cause I thought we were having that after-party thing?”

“Oh? Wait, you actually wanted to do that?” George was shocked.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“I- Um… I dunno. I suppose I wasn’t sure if you liked my friends and I guess I just-” George’s rambling was cut off when Dream placed a light kiss on his forehead. It was a blink-and-you-miss-it type moment, but George felt as if he’d never forget it. The taller boy’s lips hovered against his skin for just a moment too long, warmth sprinkling him like stardust, and George finally stopped speaking. He nodded slightly and took the blond’s hand to lead him inside.

When they finally arrived at the sixth-floor apartment with the comfy chair and the nice view, George found that the door was unlocked. Probably not the best idea, but it meant he didn’t have to fish his keys from his pocket so it was fine with him. George opened the door to find Karl and Sapnap sprawled on the couch with Quackity perched beside them.

Sapnap’s head was resting in Karl’s lap, where the taller man played with his hair while Quackity set his chin on Karl’s shoulder. The lights were low and the TV was on. Sapnap was scrolling through Netflix but he turned to look at the pair when they walked in. “Hey, look who finally showed up.”

George rolled his eyes but Dream snickered beside him, just loud enough that they could hear. He turned to the blond. “I’m gonna go grab a water; do you want anything?” Dream just shook his head and the two parted ways, one entering the kitchen and the other finding his place in the living room.

When he came back with a water bottle in hand, George found that Dream had placed himself right in the middle of George’s chair. Sapnap put on some dumb rom-com and Karl and Quackity were talking quietly. Dream turned when George entered, giving George a little wave and beckoning him over. He decided to sit on the armrest of the chair, pulling his knees to his chest and looking down at Dream. If anyone else had sat in his chair, he would’ve kicked them off instantly.

“George… c’mere.” An arm snaked around his waist and pulled him down onto Dream’s lap.

“Dream!” George shrieked, but he didn’t stop the man. In fact, he practically melted into his touch immediately. It was a bit embarrassing, to be honest, how quickly he enjoyed the feeling. There was just something about Dream that was so warm and comforting, and yet so _intense_ all at once.

He was pulled out of the thought by snickering laughter from across the room. Quackity. His face was illuminated by the TV as he watched the pair with glimmering eyes, shooting George a look that told him his roommate knew exactly what was going on between him and Dream. He didn’t dare say a word though, only sending a playful glare back and resting his body against Dream’s. 

-

They got about halfway through the dumb movie before George finally noticed that Dream wasn’t really paying attention to it. At all. He pulled his eyes away from the screen and could suddenly feel every little motion Dream made. His leg was bouncing slightly and his fingers were playing with George’s sweater. He was a bit upset with himself for not noticing earlier, especially with the way Dream’s hands were warm against his sides and traced little patterns against the fabric of his sweater. He shivered a bit at the touch but leaned into it further.

George carefully leaned forward to rest his head against Dream’s shoulder. He really didn’t want to push too far. He didn’t want the night to end on an awkward note. Dream didn’t stop him though, instead tightening his grip on George’s shirt and pulling him a bit closer. His breath was warm against George’s neck, burning him. Not like a flame though. More like the sun… or a star…

George’s face went hot and he turned his head a bit to expose more of his neck to Dream. He made eye contact with Karl from across the room and the boy winked at him. George rolled his eyes but didn’t dare move anything else. He wanted this burning- no- this _melting_ to last as long as possible.

Karl seemed to have other plans though and so the man reached across the couch to take the remote, turning off the movie and plunging the room into darkness. “Hey,” he whispered and George could barely make out his form, shifting Quackity off of his shoulder, “is it alright if we go sleep in your room?”

“Fuck no!” Q whisper-shouted and Dream’s breath jumped in a little huff behind George. “You two are gonna go do some shit in my bed, aren’t you?”

“No, Quack. I’m too tired for that.” Sapnap sat up and ran a hand through his hair, George only being able to make out the silhouette of the action. “We’ll go right to sleep, I promise.”

“Ugh. Fine. But if I wake up in the morning and find out you fuckers did _anything_ in there, I’m friend-divorcing both of you and I’m taking George in the custody battle.” 

Karl’s signature giggles filled the room as the pair stood from the couch and disappeared down the hall to Quackity’s room. They had had enough sleepovers with Quackity (and George sometimes) that pretty much everyone was comfortable sleeping anywhere in either of the four’s apartments. George could still remember his way around the Karlnap household, despite being away from the place for quite a while. 

Quackity got up too, probably to get pajamas or a drink or something, and the pair were left alone in the silent living room. The darkness had settled and George was once again hyper-aware of everything Dream was doing. He shifted his head to look at Dream for the first time in a while, breaking the warm comforting feeling that had been between them and replacing it with something _heavier_. He still smiled though, making eye contact in the darkness. “Hi.”

“Hi.”

George was so lost in the haze of Dream’s eyes that he barely noticed when the man leaned down and placed a soft kiss against his neck.

He should have been surprised, even if it was pleasantly. Instead though, he was so out of it that he just giggled. “So you _do_ like me, huh?”

Dream pulled back to quirk an eyebrow at him. “Oh, _come on_.” George just pushed a hand into his hair and kissed him for real. Hard.

The first thing he noticed was how soft Dream’s lips were. He shouldn’t have been surprised, in fact he had been staring at them several times that night, but he pressed against them anyway with a shock that spiraled down his spinal cord. George was desperate for something like this, suspected that he had been for a long time (even if he didn’t want to admit it), and so wanted to drink in every last drop of the moment.

He pushed Dream backward into his chair and ran his hands through wavy hair, kissing the younger man until he was breathless and light-headed and about to pass out. When he was forced to pull back, he realized he was still sitting on Dream’s thighs. He had just shifted slightly so he was straddling them, his own legs on either side of Dream’s. 

George realized he hadn’t closed the blinds either. The window behind Dream was still open and his messy hair was surrounded with rings of shimmering lights that rivaled only those of Saturn. The skyscraper stretched to the heavens behind him, glittering in all their glory, yet they could hardly compare to Dream. George was convinced he was the prettiest person to ever walk the face of the Earth, and even that was probably an understatement.

Dream was probably the prettiest person in the whole universe.

With one more glance out the window, George got an idea. “C’mere.” He stood and pulled Dream up with him to little protest from the other man. George climbed over the now-empty chair, which was still warm with Dream’s body heat, and leaned against the cool glass window until it opened.

“George, what are you-”

“Follow me.” He turned back around to glance at Dream once more before stepping outside and onto the metal fire escape. George had done it countless times before, but they had been months ago and he could hardly remember what they were like. Now, still slightly intoxicated and mind still fuzzy from the kiss, he struggled to stand completely upright and Dream rushed out to follow him and hold him steady.

“Georgie, you’re gonna get hurt out here,” Dream struggled to say seriously. He was snickering a little at George, who just rolled his eyes and shushed him. He really didn’t want to alert Quackity, Karl, or Sapnap of what they were up to.

“Shhh… you don’t wanna wake them up.”

“By the sounds of it, Karl and Sapnap are probably still awake anyway.”

“True.”

George reached up to pull down the metal ladder on the fire escape, cringing at the obnoxious grinding noise it made. Dream watched with wide eyes. “I’ve done this before, don’t worry.”

“I wasn’t.”

“Really? Because it looked like-”

“Are you going to climb it or not?” Dream stood behind him now, placing a careful hand on his waist as George climbed the first few rungs of the ladder and pulled himself up to the next floor. The blond followed close behind until the pair were at the top floor, the one that led up to the roof.

The wind had picked up a bit now, batting against George’s skin slightly as he climbed and sobering him up a bit. He tried to avoid the shaking in his hands but it really had been a while and he wasn’t exactly in the best shape to be climbing up half-a-dozen floors worth of ladders at some awful hour of the night. He didn’t let it show though as he pulled himself over the lip of the apartment building’s roof and waited for Dream to join him.

A moment later, the man followed and climbed over the ledge. He didn’t dare get as close to it as George did and so he sat behind George and wrapped himself around the shorter of the two. George leaned into his touch, hanging his legs over the edge of the roof but draping the rest of his body backward and against Dream.

Dream went back to kissing his neck and, while it felt nice, George wanted more. He turned a bit to kiss Dream on the lips once more. It was only one kiss and it was soft, short, and sweet, but it was perfect all the same. Everything about Dream seemed to be perfect.

George turned back to look at the sky and the buildings in the distance. “This is my favorite spot in the city. I come up here to watch it sometimes.” He was whispering as if someone could overhear them. 

The skyline disappeared into the void overhead and the lights of distant windows sparkled like stars. There was one building in particular that always seemed to have colorful lights, bright LEDs that stood out against the whites and greys of the rest of the city. “I like that one the most.” He pointed it out to Dream. “Although, I like that one too.”

“That one’s nice.” Dream’s voice was still a bit slurred, but it was probably from his lack of sleep now. George’s friend(? Boyfriend? One-night stand?) hummed in content and let his fingers lazily roam over George, calming and warm and yet melting all the same. And in that moment, he felt as if he were floating. He looked up at the sky. The void. The blackness above. And felt as if he could float right into it. As if Dream’s touch was the only thing tethering his body to the Earth.

That wasn’t to say that his mind wasn’t above the clouds though. Mentally, he was far past the skyline and floating among the lights. Not the lights of the city though - the lights of space. The stars and planets and moons and suns and galaxies and everything beyond them. That was where Geroge was meant to be. That was where he _was_ in that moment. But he wasn’t alone. Dream was with him.

In Geroge’s mind, the pair were floating across from each other through space. Their fingers were interlaced and the stars were lighting Dream’s face in a way that made him even more beautiful. George didn’t even want to look at the sky or the stars. Just Dream. He wanted to memorize everything about Dream while they were still together.

In reality though, the wind was whistling around the pair and the lazy kisses against George’s neck and shoulders persisted until Dream could finally think of something to say. When he started speaking, his voice brought George back to Earth. Pulled him back to reality and made him turn to meet his eyes with something like a sad smile.

“So, are you allowed up here?”

“I’m actually not sure about that. Quackity was the one that found this place. He comes up here to smoke or play his guitar sometimes and one time he brought me up here.” George kept rambling, telling stories about Big Q and Karl and Sapnap, but his mind was elsewhere. He was trying to figure out how he could possibly see Dream again after the night was over. He couldn’t let this little bit of perfection - this star in his empty sky - just slip away when the sun came up.

“I want to see you again. After this.” He interrupted his own story with the thought. “I want to go on that date for real and remember every little detail of it in the morning because God knows I won’t with this one. And I want to play Minecraft with you too. I want to go on that server with you and your friends and fuck around until the early hours of the morning and talk on voice calls and-”

George stopped himself. He was rambling and Dream was probably freaked out and he’d probably gone too far and- 

“George,” Dream smiled at him with that perfect, blinding grin and nodded, “I wouldn’t mind that one bit.”

-

The two stayed there until the sun rose and poked through the skyscrapers, talking about nothing and everything all at once. Listening to the sounds of the city when they ran out of words to say. When the sun finally hit their faces though, George noticed all the little things about Dream. 

He had yellow eyes, which were definitely green but George didn’t even know what green looked like. His freckles trailed down the back of his neck in clusters and, in the light, George noticed there were thousands more than before. They dotted his cheeks like little galaxies and, when Dream noticed he was staring, they disappeared under a heavy blush. George wanted to kiss each and every speckle on his face and so made a pretty good effort to do so while Dream giggled and wrapped his arms around George’s waist.

Dream leaned backward and pulled George on top of him until the back of his head hit the cold cement roof of the building and George was pushed flush against his chest. The brit pressed his face into Dream’s neck and set his arms across his chest, cuddling into him. In one ear, he could hear the sounds of the city waking up and in the other, Dream’s heartbeat thudded softly.

Dream closed his golden eyes and let out a heavy sigh, threading his fingers through George’s hair absentmindedly. “I could just fall asleep up here.”

“No…” George mumbled, too tired to say much else. “I think I’d get… like… evicted or something.”

“We should probably go back to your apartment then, right? We wouldn’t want you to get kicked out.” Dream gave him a small smile and sat up, taking George with him and scooping the smaller boy into his lap. “C’mon, baby.”

George flushed at the name, pressing his face into Dream’s chest so he wouldn’t see. Eventually though, he was forced to move when the two had to climb the ladder back down to George’s apartment. They stopped at the still-open window and George shimmied back inside, immediately tripping over the chair. 

“Georgie!” Dream whisper-shouted to him, holding back laughter. “Be careful!”

“I’m trying,” he groaned, eyes darting over to make sure he didn’t wake Quackity. His sleeping roommate was passed out on the couch, sound asleep. George knew from experience that the man wouldn’t wake up until past noon and would probably have a killer hangover. That was how it always went with Q but this time, George would not be awake to give him medicine and water and make sure he was doing alright. He would be fast asleep in his bedroom, tired out from his wild adventure through the city. 

Once Dream was back in the room and the window was closed, George poked his head through the open doorway to Quackity’s bedroom. He spotted Karl and Sapnap, both of whom were fast asleep on top of the blankets and tangled in each other. Karl’s entire body was wrapped over Sapnap’s smaller one and George smiled at the sight. Dream peeked over his shoulder, slipping his arm around George’s waist lightly. “I should probably get going, huh. Let you get some sleep.” His voice was rough against George’s ear and the shorter boy could only nod.

He walked Dream through the apartment and into the hallway with a sad smile across his lips. George was exhausted, but he didn’t want the night to end. He didn’t want to go back to his old life. His work and his lonesome and his boring existence. Life without Dream just didn’t feel right. It never had.

“Can- can I kiss you? One more time?”

“Of course, Georgie.” Dream nodded and leaned down to merge their lips once more. It was slow, exploratory, and filled with everything they couldn’t say out loud. It wasn’t a goodbye though. That word was completely absent.

When they pulled apart, Dream gave George his phone to put in a contact. George typed slowly, double and triple-checking to make sure that the number was right. He could not afford to lose Dream to a dumb mis-type. “Here.” He finally handed the phone back and Dream read the contact name aloud.

“ _Georgie Baby Darling Pretty Boy_?? Really?” He wheezed with laughter that made George smile. “It’s perfect. I love it.” Dream slid his phone into his back pocket and stepped away. “I’ll text you tonight, baby. Let you get some sleep first. Don’t stay up, okay?” He punctuated each sentence with a kiss on George’s forehead.

It felt like there were a million words on the tip of his tongue, but they were all silenced with one more lingering kiss to his lips. “Goodnight, George.” 

George opened the door to the apartment, slowly taking a step backward into the entrance. Delaying the inevitable. He watched Dream leave as he did so, snickering at the excited little dance he did on the way out.

He closed the door eventually, letting out a soft sigh and leaning against it. George felt like the protagonist of some teen movie; like he was back in high school and smitten with his first crush. He looked over to the couch, to Quackity’s sleeping form with the sun streaming over him. 

George was glad his roommate had dragged him to that party.

**Author's Note:**

> fun fact one: the document for this fic in my google docs is titled “the night out (or: one-shot that’s partially named after a madeon song because how could i write something about a city without referencing a madeon song)”
> 
> fun fact two: the cafe/deli is _very loosely_ based off a real deli i went to in nyc when i visited there a couple years back. I never really explicitly state it, but this whole fic is intended to give off big new york vibes because i miss it Very Badly :]
> 
> anyway i hope you guys enjoyed the fic! if you feel so inclined, you can drop a comment or kudos or something because your comments literally make my day. like i spend _so much time_ reading them on here and wattpad :) also if you’re looking for more dnf content, i have a multi-chapter fic called “warmth” that i’d highly recommend and a new one called “heavy with hoping” that’s gonna be coming out soon!!
> 
> i also have a [twitter](https://twitter.com/egirIpatches) if you wanna come say hi or if you wanna show me something or come say hi! :] <3


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